New Divide
by Indigo Callahan
Summary: River Braxton didn't like it when she was in situations she couldn't quite understand. She tried to avoid situations like that to the best of her abilities. But her friend, Jane Foster, loved those kinds of things. So what does River find herself in after one of Jane's late-night science chasings? A situation she couldn't possibly hope to understand.
1. Chapter 1

"This doesn't make any sense." River knelt down, her green eyes widening just a fraction. It had started as a simple observation, but after a bit of trouble, it somehow escalated into a situation that couldn't be explained so easily. River peered over her shoulder; her friend, Jane, was kneeling down and shining her flashlight on strange markings on the desert ground; Erik, Jane's mentor, was looking between Jane, her van, and what was in front of River; Darcy, the _intern_ Jane hired—who really was trying to finish college—was pacing a bit, looking more and more anxious by the second. "Jane, are you even going to come check this out?" River exclaimed.

"I have to get this down before it disappears."

River's lips pursed. "It doesn't look like that's going anywhere," she exclaimed. "Can we talk about _this_ for a moment?" When Jane made no attempt to remove herself from the designs on the ground, River sighed and looked down again. River didn't like it when things didn't make sense, it bothered her. She tried to _avoid_ situations that she couldn't quite understand—she wasn't a fan of deeply analyzing things or things of that nature. But having a friend who happened to be a _scientist_ made questionable situations pop up a lot. But what River found herself in wasn't just some little problem, it was massive. It was enormous. It was...a man.

A man that showed up out of nowhere.

 _Where in the hell did he come from?_ River thought anxiously.

* * *

 **Earlier That Day**

* * *

River was gathering the few belongings she'd taken with her to Jane's apartment. She'd spent most of her morning helping Jane finish up her latest research, and it was by the time early afternoon rolled in that River decided she was about ready to go.

"I'll see you guys later," River exclaimed, waving goodbye to everyone. They all murmured their farewells.

As River made her way to her apartment, she took a moment to really observe everything around her. She'd been living in New Mexico for a little over three years; she'd wanted a change of scenery, something different compared to the little town in Massachusetts she grew up in. River _certainly_ wouldn't have picked another small town, but it was a start on something different.

River let out a sigh. She didn't particularly dislike New Mexico, but she didn't exactly _like_ it either. She'd spent a good amount of money traveling from Massachusetts to where she was at the moment, and until she had enough saved up, she was planning on leaving again. River worked part-time as a waitress at the town's local diner; the owner was pretty nice and seemed to understand that River had other things she needed to do outside of work—some of the time it included Jane's research, other times it included very personal moments that she just couldn't avoid.

Once she reached her apartment building, River made her way up a flight of stairs before unlocking her apartment door and going in.

Most days after River would help Jane with her research, River would find some way to unwind. Sometimes that meant spending an afternoon in her apartment, other times she'd go to the nearest town to go shopping, or she'd spend time in her Spot—a secluded little area River claimed a couple miles outside of town—and just figure out _some_ thing to keep herself occupied. For River, in that moment, it felt like she was stuck in the middle of wanting to spend time in her apartment and going to her Spot.

 _I could always spend a little time here and then go,_ she thought. It wasn't a bad idea. Throwing off her shoes by the front door and placing all the things she brought with her on a nearby table, River plopped herself down on her sofa and turned on the television.

-0-0-0-0-

River spent a better part of an hour and a half in her apartment, going between watching a little TV and reading one of her favorite books. After a while, a feeling of restlessness was clawing its way up River, and she knew that if she stayed in her apartment a moment longer, she'd probably go crazy. That was how it could be for River sometimes; some days she didn't mind not doing anything at all, other days she needed to be constantly on the move. Marking off where she was in her book, River tossed it on the sofa; she hurried to the front door and shoved her feet into her tennis shoes.

Going back down the stairs, River said hello to a few people who lived in the same building as her before making her way through the town's small streets.

The one thing River did like about where she lived was that since it was such a small town, the streets weren't exactly _big_ enough for cars to be driving in. Sometimes a car or two would be seen, but chances were they'd be heading off to the nearest town to be getting supplies that weren't sold where they lived. In Massachusetts, in that little town River grew up in, she could hear cars driving down the streets all the time. It was almost weird _not_ hearing one. But the one thing River appreciated about her hometown was that there were things to do. Not so much in her little New Mexico town.

 _I can't complain, though,_ she thought solemnly. _I've got a decent place to live, I have an OK job_ _—it could be worse, right?_

River let out a soft sigh. She was lucky enough to have just enough money to get a place to live and even luckier to be able to find a job; though she credited her ability to get a job on how small the town was. Either way, she wasn't about to start whining or bemoaning; she'd work with what she had.

As she reached the outskirts of the town, she did a quick look back, just an instinctual part of herself making sure no one followed. As she started walking in the direction of her Spot, she allowed herself a bit of time to just think. Normally, River went to her Spot to get away from Jane or Darcy if either of them were being a little annoying or to just get away from people in general. It was pretty far away and it was _quiet_. It was about a fifteen minute walk on foot, half the time in a car.

Once she _finally_ made it, River let out a slightly breathless sigh.

 _Gives me a bit of a workout._ River stretched a little, making sure she wouldn't get too sore later from all the walking. _I should really exercise more._

River shook her head, brushing some of her coppery brown hair away from her face. After River took a moment to just stretch and get a bit comfortable, she let out a silent breath.

 _If I'm going to start thinking about working out, I might as well do the next best thing._ Looking at her surroundings, River made sure there wasn't anything that could be flammable nearby. She also checked her outfit, making sure there wasn't anything dangling. Holding her hands up in front of her, River watched as they disappeared in crackling flames.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Hello, everyone! Sorry for the late posting, I would've had this done sooner, but I got sidetracked by responsibilities. Just let me know what you think, OK? I'll go a little deeper into River's character as the story progresses. If you've got ideas on anything that you'd think could happen, don't hesitate to review or PM me.**

 **I own nothing in the MCU. All I own are my characters and the studs for my nose piercing.**

 **Leave a review on what you think of this story so far. I know it's only one chapter, but I feel like this story could be a whole lot better if I got to understand your thoughts on it. How would you like to see River develop in this story? I could leave you with that question for now.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	2. Chapter 2

River found out she could manipulate fire early in her teenage years. She found a bit of irony in that, given her name and her abilities. The day River discovered her powers, it ended disastrously for her and everyone around her. It started out at school, with what River thought was a fever, but there was something about it that didn't feel right. The fever felt as if it were shifting, like it was spreading. From what River could remember of that day, it felt as if her entire body was overheating, like she'd been set on fire. What happened after that was a bit of a blur for her. When River had regained herself, that feeling of being overheated was gone, but she was surrounded by fire and smoke.

So as she observed the flames crackling on her hands, River felt a sense of dread washing over her. The fire didn't hurt her; it never did. After the incident at her school, River was petrified. She blamed herself for everything that happened—any classmates or teachers who were injured, the destruction of the school, she blamed herself for it. She'd spend the next six months afterward walking on eggshells, then she'd discover she could create flames out of thin air. Another accident resulted from that.

 _You've improved a lot since then,_ she thought solemnly. _Give yourself some credit at least. You've controlled yourself, that's the important thing._

Clenching her fists, the flames flickered off River's hands before reappearing in front of her, rounding at the bottom as if it were a flaming orb.

River found out that controlling the fire she produced took a lot of concentration and muscle work. In some situations, she had to move her body with the fire, which on its own required a lot of fast movements and quick reflexes. Though River made sure she never lost control of the fire, there were a few instances where it seemed like it was beginning to overpower her.

 _Keep up with your training,_ she'd remind herself. _If you can do that, then there will be no problems._

Curling her hands underneath the flaming orb in front of her, River carefully spread her arms out, seeing the orb widen, tendrils of flames coming from it and following her hands. Jerking her wrists a little, she saw the tendrils tremble slightly and the orb start to shake almost violently. Spreading her fingers and flattening her palms, River watched as the orb exploded into an almost raging fire in midair. River watched as the flames bounced and jumped, going between reds, yellows, and oranges.

The tendrils from the flame wrapped itself around River's hands before the fire in front of her started splitting down the middle, leaving River with two whips.

Sighing, River gave a slight flick of her wrists and the flames extinguished.

Wringing her hands, River frowned deeply.

Even though she went to her Spot to just get away from everything and think, there were a few moments where she'd just practice her abilities. That helped her clear her mind, too.

Over the years since her powers developed, River made sure only a select number of people knew. Jane, Darcy, and Erik knew and they accepted it without much trouble. As far as River's _family_ was concerned, it was a little harder to accept.

Sighing, River ran a hand through her hair, absently looking out at the landscape in front of her.

River's family took their time trying to accept what she could do; during that time, they didn't necessarily treat her the same as before. They'd become terrified that something could happen and River would—either accidentally or on purpose—cause some kind of disaster. It was during that time that River's powers were still a bit unstable, and her family's reaction to what she could do made her feel almost _ashamed_ of herself. But they eventually accepted it to a degree, which was better than nothing in River's book.

Crossing her arms over her chest, River took one last look around before she started her way back home.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Sorry for the short, possibly sloppy, chapter. Just let me know what you think, OK?**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the username I go by.**

 **In case there's any confusion on anything so far, here's just a quick little explanation: River is originally from Massachusetts, but after deciding to leave, now lives in New Mexico; she's able to control fire, discovering she could do so in her early teenage years; she's good friends with Jane, Darcy, and Erik; the day her powers manifested, she accidentally burned her school down; River has control over her powers; as for her family, they kind of accept River's powers, though they still struggle with the thought of it; she works as a waitress, part-time, in the town she lives in; her "Spot" is a place outside of town River goes to so she can get away from everything and think or practice her powers where no one could see; River is the kind of person who tries to avoid unexplainable situations** **—she likes it when things make sense, if something pops up that she can't seem to figure out so easily, she'll avoid it all costs, she absolutely hates situations like that, but, given Jane's a scientist and her friend, River finds herself in situations like that relatively often** **. Hopefully that clears up any confusion.**

 **If you've got ideas for future updates, leave a review or PM me. If you've got ideas for OCs, leave a review or PM me. Let me know what you think should happen in this story, that's the important thing!**

 **I'll wrap up the author's note, then.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	3. Chapter 3

River, in that moment, decided to take her time on her trek back to her apartment. She had nowhere she needed to be, and as far as she knew, Jane didn't need her for any help with her research.

 _She's got Selvig,_ River thought solemnly. _He'd be able to help Jane out more than I could._

River had some basic knowledge when it came to science, but when it came down to the things Erik and Jane studied, River felt not only out of place, but also very inexperienced. Erik and Jane were astrophysicists. Hell, Darcy was getting a degree in political science! River, on the other hand, couldn't figure out a single damn thing on what Erik and Jane were saying, and had to have Darcy translate whatever they were saying―well, whatever Darcy could pick up.

Sighing, River pursed her lips. She really had no idea why Jane was keeping her around; aside from her fire abilities, she had no real purpose. In River's mind, she was a liability, _especially_ when it came to Jane's on-the-road research.

 _Jane could keep you around because of your powers._ River's lips pursed even more. _It could be helpful in some situations, you've gotta keep that in mind._ Shaking her head slightly, River pushed those thoughts down. She may be Jane's friend, but River was hoping she was more than just another tool to Jane Foster. It'd break River's heart.

-0-0-0-0-

By the time she made it back to her apartment, River gathered her pajamas and went to go take a shower. She didn't have any voicemails or texts from anyone, which she was somewhat grateful for. River didn't really like it when people worried about her.

After taking a quick shower and throwing on her pajamas, River shuffled out of her bathroom and threw herself on her sofa, turning on the television. It had been on the news, telling brief weather forecasts. From what River had gathered, there had been accounts of strange thunderstorms in certain areas and no one could really explain what was going on. It would last for a moment before disappearing and reappearing somewhere else.

Giving a hum of disinterest, River flipped to another channel. She didn't really want to bother herself with the weather―Jane's current research had to do with atmospheric anomalies, so anything that even resembled the topic made River feel a hint of annoyance. For the past couple weeks, River had been helping Jane out the best she could with her atmospheric data, though River had no idea what the hell she was doing.

Letting out an irritated growl, River tried pushing those thoughts out of her head. If she started thinking about those damn anomalies, she'd get herself all worked up.

River had no problem helping Jane if she truly needed it, but since she started looking into the weird weather patterns, it had been a constant battle of late-night research gatherings, waiting hours upon hours for _something_ to happen. They'd travel for hours at a time to gather some form of data so Jane could add it to her work. It was exhausting. A big part of River hoped that Jane would hurry up and finish her project so everyone could get a proper night's sleep.

 _Knowing Jane, she'll keep going and going until she gets the answer she needs,_ River thought with slight irritation. While she may not like the fact that Jane could overdo it when it came to her studies, she was dedicated, which was a good trait to have.

After deciding to keep it on some cheesy horror movie, River settled into her sofa, watching the movie with slight interest.

-0-0-0-0-

The sound of something vibrating jolted River out of her slumber. She winced a little, feeling an ache in her neck and lower back. Rubbing the bleariness out of her eyes and swatting her chestnut brown hair out of her face, River stumbled up and tried ignoring the achiness from having slept on a couch. Finding the source of the vibrations to be her cell phone, River answered it with a muffled "Hello?"

"River? Hey! I need your help." Jane's voice rang loud and clear from the other end. River bit back a groan.

"Why can't you call Erik?" she grumbled. "He'd be more help than me."

"I already _called_ Erik!" Jane exclaimed. "Hurry, this is important."

Letting out a sigh, River hung up and tossed her phone on her sofa. Shuffling over to where she could see the time, River let out another, more exaggerated sigh. It was eight-thirty in the morning, and Jane, from what River gathered in her sleep fogged mind, was probably running around like an Energizer Bunny.

 _She'll get more impatient the longer I have her wait._ Going into her bedroom, River got some clean clothes and reluctantly went into her bathroom to change. _But hey_ _―the sooner this is finished, the sooner I can get on with the rest of my day._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Let me know what you think of this chapter, OK? That's the important thing. Let me know if I'm getting the canon characters wrong so I can change them to the best of my abilities.**

 **Anywho, nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the music I listen to.**

 **Do you have a possible subplot you'd like to see written into the story? Leave a review or PM me! Do you have an OC you'd like to see added in, as well? Leave a review or PM me! I'm all for the ideas you guys have, and it's important for this story's progression if I know what you think and what you want for this story. Also, if you think I could do any improvements on characters, let me know and I'll do so to the best of my abilities.**

 **I'll wrap this author's note up, then.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	4. Chapter 4

By the time River made her journey to Jane's apartment, she was a tad irritated, mingling in with the lingering exhaustion she felt. She didn't have a single clue on why Jane would call so early in the morning asking for help, but River knew better than to keep her friend waiting. If she didn't go to Jane's immediately, there'd be no doubt in River's mind that she'd be hunted down and possibly argued into assisting by Jane herself.

 _One of these days, I'm going to have to tell her no,_ River thought miserably. Knocking on Jane's front door, she let out a surprise shriek when it flew open and a hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her in.

"OK, here's the deal," Jane exclaimed, balancing her laptop in one hand and various paperwork in the other, "I did a little research, and I found out that there's going to be a disturbance tonight!"

River's face twisted a little in irritation. "Are you serious?" she snapped. "You woke me up for _this_?"

Jane looked at River with wide, unbelieving eyes. "This is important," she exclaimed defensively. "It's for my research, the more data I can gather the better."

"This is crazy," River said. "When did becoming an astrophysicist make you a storm-chaser?"

Throwing a dry look River's way, Jane scurried back into her dining room, carefully putting down her laptop and paperwork. Her dining room table was filled with various papers; the far wall in the room was filled with pictures―some with heat signatures, others just pictures of weather occurrences with notes scribbled on them―tacked to the wall.

"As much as I love helping you with your weird little adventures, there's a moment where it's gotta stop." River crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Jane with a solemn frown. "Jane, you're really smart, stop chasing thunderstorms and try focusing on something else."

"You don't understand." Jane looked at River desperately. "There's something going on―there's a connection between all of these."

"River does have a point." Erik walked up and stood beside River, looking at Jane with an utmost seriousness. "You shouldn't be obsessing over these."

Giving a frustrated sigh, Jane looked between Erik and River before crossing her arms over her chest, almost stubbornly. "If nothing happens tonight, I'll stop and focus on something else," she said, her tone leaving no room for arguing. " _But_ , if something _does_ happen, we keep going. Deal?"

River pinched the bridge of her nose in slight irritation. How could she not see that coming? Of _course_ Jane would try and negotiate her way into possibly continuing.

"With one exception," River sighed. Jane looked at her with a pointed expression. "You let me sleep in more. I'm not a scientist, I don't have to be up at the crack of dawn trying to figure out something I know nothing about."

Sighing, Jane thought it over before nodding. She gave an equally pointed look Erik's way.

"Fine," he sighed. "I'm holding it to you, Jane."

A bright smile lit up her face.

-0-0-0-0-

For most of the morning, and well into the early afternoon, Jane went on explaining what she believed would happen with the occurrence. They'd have to go a couple miles outside of town in her teched-out van, pretty late into the night since she believed that's when it'd happen, and for the most part, wait and see what happens.

"Hopefully my gear can pick up on it," she murmured, after finishing her explanation. "It should have a direct connection to the others."

"How long has she been like this?" Darcy murmured. Darcy had come in later in the morning, despite Jane's calls for her to come in earlier. River liked Darcy, taking everything Jane dished out seriously, but taking it at her own pace.

"Way too long for my liking." River crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back in her seat. "I have a feeling this will be a very long and exhausting day."

Darcy let out a humorless snort.

"Maybe something will happen," River sighed, stifling a yawn. "Hopefully it won't. I don't know if I want to be waiting 'til the wee hours of the morning for nothing."

"You and me both," Darcy mumbled.

While Jane kept rambling on, going through her papers and her laptop, River watched silently as Erik tried keeping up with the young woman's quick explanations and various theories on how everything would go down and how she'd gather her data. Giving a silent sigh, River looked down at her hands. Snapping her fingers, River watched absently as a small flame appeared on the tip of her thumb. After snapping her fingers again, the flame went out. River kept it up for a couple minutes, finding mild entertainment in the action. It wasn't like she understood half the things Jane was talking about, she had to keep herself occupied until she was needed.

"River." Jane's sharp tone burst River's little bubble. Looking up, she saw Jane's hardened look.

"What?"

"Were you even listening to what I was saying?" she exclaimed.

River just shrugged.

Sighing, Jane went on to re-explaining what she expected everyone to do in order to prepare for the event―help her check some of her equipment, make sure they brought the necessary materials, dress warmly, etc., etc., etc. For River, none of that mattered.

"Do you think you guys can handle this?" Jane asked, looking between the three of them anxiously. They all murmured their answers. "Good, let's get started."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Hopefully this chapter's good. Let me know what you think, OK? Reviews are important.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the coffee I drink.**

 **As a heads up to anyone who reads these, toward the end of this month, I'll be going on a week and a half/two week vacation, so if I don't update any new chapters and you're wondering why, this will hopefully answer that. But hopefully I can get a few more chapters up before I go. Also, around the middle or end of September, I'll be going back to school―community college** **―so I'll have to find a middle-ground between school and work.**

 **If you've got ideas on anything, don't hesitate to review. If you've got subplots or OCs you'd like to see written into the story, don't hesitate to review or PM.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	5. Chapter 5

For a majority of the day, Jane had everyone helping her prep for the upcoming event. She wanted everything perfect―all her equipment would be checked to make sure it worked, then it'd be double-checked just to give a little reassurance to Jane. Someone would drive her van to the nearest gas station and fill it up, someone else would look over her paperwork and make sure it was all in order. While Darcy, River, and Erik did that, Jane would try and get a start on her research―she'd do her hypothesis, write or type whatever she'd need to get everything ready for the night.

By the time everything was finished, and Jane was reassured that everything would run smoothly, she let us have a little break.

"I suppose we're supposed to be _grateful_ she's letting us have a break," River muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. Darcy let out a slight snort at that. They were sitting in Jane's kitchen, having some coffee that Darcy made.

"We got most of what she wanted done, so it's not like she'll have a lot for us to do anyway." Darcy took a quick sip from her mug, her eyes not leaving her cell phone for a moment.

River had to agree with that. With most of Jane's requests out of the way, what more could she throw at them? Her equipment was working, all the paperwork she'd need was filed and ready to go, her van was full of gas and operational―everything was good to go.

"I'll be right back," River exclaimed, taking one last sip of her coffee before heading to the back door of Jane's apartment. The one thing River liked about her friend's apartment was that there was more than one way to get in; there was the front entrance, and then a back door, where a big window surrounded it.

"Are you going to have a smoke?" Darcy asked.

"Yup." Opening one of Jane's drawers, she found one of her cigarette packages underneath some of Jane's stuff. River knew Jane didn't like it when she smoked, but it was a bad habit that had started relatively early. "If Jane's wondering where I am..."

"I'll let her know."

Taking one out, River went outside and put the cigarette between her lips. Snapping her fingers, a small flame appeared just millimeters above her thumb. She used that to light her cigarette. Taking a drag, River waited a moment before releasing the smoke. She watched as it billowed out before dissipating. She waited several minutes before taking another drag, holding the cigarette between her forefinger and her middle finger, blowing out the smoke she held.

"River, are you serious?" Jane walked out of her apartment, a look of disapproval on her face.

"We finished; I'm taking a break."

"You know I _hate_ it when you smoke."

River snorted before taking another drag. "Then why's my pack still in its spot?"

"'Cause I know you'd buy another one."

"It's not like I'm some chain-smoker," River mumbled, taking another drag before letting out the smoke.

Jane crossed her arms over her chest. "It'll still kill you."

"I know."

"Just come back inside. Please?"

Looking over at Jane, she saw the seriousness etched on her face. Sighing, River flicked her cigarette out of her hands before stepping on it.

-0-0-0-0-

"I know this was a last-minute sort of thing, but I appreciate you guys helping." Jane and the others were loading her things into the back of her van. It was getting close to early evening, and Jane wanted to get started as early as possible.

"How long are we going to be out there?" Darcy asked, holding Jane's laptop.

"It depends on how late the phenomena shows itself." There was an excitement in Jane's voice that was almost childlike in nature. Despite how overbearing Jane could be at times, seeing her look excited for her studies was a little better.

"Shouldn't we get anything we'd need ready before we head off?" River asked, looking at Jane almost expectantly.

Jane nodded hurriedly. "That's right," she said, "I'll let you guys go get what you need first."

-0-0-0-0-

It had only been a couple minutes since River made it back to her apartment, but it felt more like a lifetime. She wasn't really sure if she really wanted to go on Jane's little expedition, but she knew better than to just bail without any kind of warning. Without a doubt, Jane would hunt her down and _force_ her to go.

 _You really know how to get yourself in a bind, don't you?_ River rolled her eyes. She hoped whatever Jane was looking for happened quickly, she didn't want to spend her entire night waiting for something that wouldn't happen. But there was also the promise they made―if something _did_ happen, Jane could continue with her research; if nothing happened, she'd do something else.

River sighed.

Maybe that was why Jane was so desperate to make sure her things worked, she didn't want to stop what she was doing. But the way River saw it, Jane could be doing so much more than chasing weird weather conditions. Jane was an astrophysicist, and it didn't really feel like she was doing anything along those lines. At least, that's how River saw it.

She let out another sigh.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya! Sorry for the delay in posting the chapter, but here it is! Let me know if you liked this chapter or not.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I know are my characters and the pants that I wear.**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs you'd like written into the story, leave a review or PM me. I'd love to know what you'd like added to the story.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	6. Chapter 6

After River managed to get anything she needed together, she grudgingly made it back to Jane's place. It was getting later in the day, and from the looks of it, Jane was ready to go before the sun even set. Sighing, River pulled her hair into a ponytail, hoping she'd be prepared for a long night.

"OK, everything's ready to go!" she exclaimed, looking at the inside of her van proudly.

"Are you sure you've got everything?" River asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jane nodded. "I've double-checked, just in case," she exclaimed. "Everything's ready to go. All we've got to do is wait for Erik and Darcy."

-0-0-0-0-

Eventually, Erik and Darcy arrived with whatever they were planning on bringing. Jane immediately had everyone pile into the van and, with Darcy driving, went to the location where the apparent "phenomena" Jane was so thrilled about would be taking place.

The sun was beginning to set, and it didn't take long for boredom to settle in. Jane was spending her time getting her things prepared―papers to take notes on, getting her laptop ready, preparing her special cameras for photos―she wanted everything documented so she had something to go by even after the event passed.

As time went on, and nothing happened, everyone but Jane was starting to get a little frustrated. After the sun had already set, and nighttime was settling in, and still nothing happened, not only was Darcy starting to complain, but River was starting to voice her displeasure as well.

But that didn't mean Jane was going to lose hope. She was still determined that whatever she was looking for was going to happen.

"Wait for it!" she exclaimed.

"Wait for _what_?" River sighed. "We've been out here for hours now and nothing's happened."

Jane motioned for River to be quiet, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Can I turn on the radio?" Darcy exclaimed.

"No," Jane nearly snapped.

"That's being unfair, Jane." River crossed her arms over her chest. "Why can't we turn on the radio?"

"I need the quiet." Jane quickly looked through her paperwork and what she had on her laptop before poking her head out of the sunroof of her van. She waited for a moment longer before sitting down and going over her research again.

"Jane, you can't keep doing this," Erik sighed.

"The last seventeen occurrences have been predictable," Jane exclaimed, looking at Erik desperately before rereading her research.

"You're an astrophysicist, not some storm chaser." Erik gave Jane a stern look, as if he were scolding a small child.

"I'm telling you," she cried, "there's a connection between the atmosphere disturbances and my research! Erik, I wouldn't have asked you to come here if I wasn't sure."

What felt like the longest two minutes _ever_ ticked by before Darcy let out an almost surprised gasp. River looked at her for a moment before glancing over to whatever it was Darcy was looking at. Only a couple yards in front of them, a light was flickering in the sky; thick, black storm-clouds were starting to form around the light.

"I thought you said it was a subtle aurora," Erik mumbled.

"Go!" Jane cried.

Jumping in her seat, Darcy turned the van on and floored it. The closer they got to the light and the storm-clouds, the more the situation started to change. The flickering light started changing, morphing the clouds and causing an unsettling wind to pick up. Dust and dirt from the surrounding area started swirling around where the flickering light and clouds were, the wind picking up and rocking the van a little. Then...the light started moving. The more dust and dirt started swirling around the area, the more it looked like what was going on in the sky started moving. A loud rumble hit the ground as the lighting hit the floor; and then Darcy jerked the van away.

"What are you doing!?" Jane cried.

"I am not dying for _six college credits_!" Darcy screeched.

"River, do something!" Jane exclaimed.

Since River was sitting in the passenger's seat, she was, in a sense, able to jerk the steering wheel to where Jane wanted, but River knew better than to do that.

"Are you _kidding_ me!?" she cried. "We're not going back there!"

Pushing herself between River and Darcy, Jane started pulling on the steering wheel, trying to force them to go back to the whirlwind. It had started getting more violent―more dirt and dust had gone into the violent winds, the light was flashing brightly, almost like lightning. But the more Jane tried forcing the van into the whirlwind, the more Darcy fought to keep them _away_ from it. Jane gave the steering wheel one last jerk before the light from the whirlwind flashed again and the silhouette of someone appeared near the front of the van.

And got hit.

The whirlwind had stopped after that, the dust settling but the air felt heavy and staticky. River and Darcy shared a look before they both looked back at Jane.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait, but here's the chapter. What do you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Let me know what you think.**

 **I own nothing in the MCU. All I own are my characters and the Wi-Fi at my house.**

 **If you've got ideas for potential subplots, or maybe an OC that could be thrown in somewhere, leave a review or PM me. I'd love to know what you guys want added to the story. Or, if you don't have a subplot or an OC, leave a suggestion on how you think the story could improve. Am I getting the characters wrong? Did I make this chapter too similar to parts of the movie? Don't hesitate to let me know! Constructive criticism is important.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	7. Chapter 7

The whirlwind had stopped, the dust settling but the air felt heavy and staticky. River and Darcy shared a look before they both looked back at Jane. Jane's mouth hung open slightly as she looked between River and Darcy. The split second of silence between seemed to stretch on for a lifetime before they stumbled out of the van to where the guy was laying on the ground.

"I think that was legally your fault!" Darcy exclaimed.

River and Jane knelt over the figure of whoever it was that got hit by Jane's van. It was a young man with shoulder length blonde hair, some decently trimmed facial hair, and a tall _very_ in-shape body. River had to admit, the guy was attractive. But it didn't change the fact that he got hit by Jane's van. Before River even had a second to talk to Jane, she dashed off to inspect her van and the area. She stilled when her flashlight hit a spot not too far from where the man was laying. River's brows furrowed at that.

 _She's seriously going to be looking at something on the ground after she hit someone?_ she thought in exasperation.

"Oh my God," Jane mumbled. "Are you guys seeing this?"

"No," River exclaimed, looking back at her, "I'm seeing an unconscious man. One that got hit by your van."

It didn't seem to bother Jane in the slightest. Her focus was whatever decorated the dirtied ground. Frowning, River's attention went back to the man. He didn't look too beat up, but River had no way of knowing. He could have internal bleeding or maybe something ruptured.

Her lips pursed. She stood up and looked around. They were pretty far from town, so seeing someone who just so happened to appear in the same spot Jane's little phenomena was taking place seemed a bit weird. River didn't want to think it was possibly _convenient_ someone like the unconscious man would be in the same location as them, but she knew it was a possibility.

Sighing, River ran a hand through her hair.

"This doesn't make any sense." River knelt down, her green eyes widening just a fraction. It had started as a simple observation, but somehow it escalated into the situation they found themselves in at that moment. A situation that couldn't be explained so easily. River peered over her shoulder—Jane was kneeling down and shining her flashlight on some weird markings on the desert ground; Erik was anxiously looking between Jane, her van, and the unconscious man River was studying; Darcy was pacing a bit, looking more and more anxious by the second. "Jane, are you even going to come check this out?" River exclaimed.

"I have to get this down before it disappears."

River's lips pursed. "I don't think that's going anywhere," she exclaimed, nearly snapping at Jane. "Can we talk about _this_ for a moment?" When Jane made no attempt to remove herself from the designs on the ground, River sighed and looked down again. River absolutely hated finding herself in situations that made little to no sense. No impossible-to-figure-out problems, no guessing-game troubles—River didn't want to deal with any of it. She just wanted to live a nice, simple life where everything made sense. Hell, even with the scientific explanation behind why she has the ability to control fire, River still found it to be confusing. She'd do a little research on the subject if she had to, other than that, she'd avoid it. But, unfortunately, having a friend who's a _scientist_ —an _astrophysicist_ —made questionable situations pop up a lot.

But what River found herself in wasn't just some little problem. It was massive. It was enormous. It was the unconscious man.

 _Where in the hell did he come from?_ River thought anxiously.

"I think we should take him to a hospital," River exclaimed, looking back at Jane. Jane was doodling whatever she was seeing in the dirt, despite the borderline desperate look on Erik's face—he wanted to leave just as badly as she did. So did Darcy. "He could have a concussion, or worse."

"River's right, Jane." Erik looked at Jane expectantly, the hint of desperation in his eyes still evident. "This man could use medical attention."

Before anyone had a chance to react, the man's eyes shot open and he let out an audible gasp. River pounced back, small embers dancing at her fingertips. The man's striking blue eyes darted around before focusing wildly on River. His eyes narrowed slightly before his face contorted into a grimace as he attempted to stand up.

"Does he need CPR?" Darcy stammered. "'Cause I totally know CPR."

Once the man stumbled to his feet, that was when his erratic behavior began. His hair hung around his face, adding on to the wild look in his blue eyes. The way he was stumbling around made it look like he was completely wasted. Looking up at the sky with a scowl, the man's eyes seemed to glaze over and become even wilder.

"Hammer!?" he cried. "Hammer!?" His voice was deep and accented.

"Yeah, we can tell you're hammered," Darcy exclaimed. "It's pretty obvious."

The man's gaze kept looking at the sky for a moment longer before he lost his footing, struggling to regain his balance.

"Erik, we need to move quickly before this all changes," Jane exclaimed.

"Didn't you hear what River said?" Erik nearly snapped. "This man just got hit by your van. He could have some sort of trauma. He needs a hospital."

"He's not acting right." River crossed her arms over her chest, looking at the man closely. "Listen to Selvig, Jane."

"Father!" the man cried. "Heimdall! I know you can hear me! Open the Bifröst!"

Jane studied the man for a moment, a look neither Erik nor River could describe. "You take him to the hospital," she concluded. "I'll stay."

The man turned to them for a moment, his eyes still wild. "What realm is this?" he stammered. "Alfheim? Jotunheim?"

Flames sparked around River's hands, an unconscious form of defense.

The man's eyes flickered to River's hands for a moment, his eyes narrowing.

Darcy took out her taser, aiming it at the man. "New Mexico," she said firmly, almost defensively.

"You two dare threaten me?" the man barked. "Thor? With such..."

Before he could even finish, Darcy tasered him. He fell to the ground, convulsing a little while the taser went off.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Hopefully this chapter was decent! I'm currently exhausted; I got back from vacation and got zero sleep last night. My brain's a little scrambled at the moment, so hopefully this chapter made a little sense.**

 **I own nothing in the MCU. All I own are my characters and the tan I got from my vacation.**

 **Do you have a subplot you'd like to see written into the story? Leave a review or PM me. Do you have an OC you'd like to see written into the story? Leave a review or PM me! Do you have constructive criticism you'd like to share? Leave a review.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	8. Chapter 8

It took _way_ too much work getting the man into Jane's van. After Darcy had been convinced to stop tasering him, they all had to work together just to get the upper half of the man off the ground.

 _This guy's gotta be made out of pure muscle,_ River thought in agitation. Though his physical appearance showed just how in-shape he was, they weren't expecting him to weigh so heavily. Once he was in the van, Erik, Darcy, and River climbed in next to him while Jane hurried to the driver's side. It had been a miracle in itself just getting her away from those markings.

"Hospital?" Jane exclaimed.

"That's what we've been telling you." The sharpness in River's tone made Jane wince a little. Starting the engine, Jane sped off in the direction of the nearest hospital.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

"Name?" The hospital's receptionist looked at the four of them expectantly. The man—who'd said his name was Thor—stayed unconscious for the duration of the ride, much to their relief. He'd been taken in for an evaluation, all the others had to do was provide information on him.

"He said his name was 'Thor'," Jane said.

Taking a second to type it out, the receptionist looked at them again. "Your relationship to him?" she asked.

"We don't know him," River said. "We've never met him before."

"Until Jane hit him with a car," Darcy murmured, a hint of a smirk on her face.

"I didn't _hit_ him," Jane exclaimed, "I grazed him. But she tasered him."

"Yes I did." There was a hint of pride in Darcy's voice, making River snicker a little.

After finishing typing out what little information was given, the receptionist thanked them. Even though it was still pretty late in the night, they decided to wait for a little bit, just to make sure everything turned out OK. _Thor_ , if that was even his real name, might've been intoxicated or even a little delusional, but there was a chance he didn't have anywhere to go. He didn't seem to know where he was, and from the way he was talking earlier, it wouldn't have been much of a surprise if he had been drunk or even high; but that didn't excuse the fact that if he had no idea where he was, he'd have no idea how to get shelter.

"What do we do once he's out?" River asked, looking up at Erik.

Sighing, Erik shrugged exhaustedly. "I don't know," he said. "If he's not severely injured, maybe find a shelter for him. He's confused, lost."

Chewing on her bottom lip, River felt an anxiousness rolling in her stomach.

 _Erik's probably right,_ she thought solemnly. _A shelter would probably be the best for him._

After twenty minutes passed and there was no word on Thor's condition, Erik decided that they should all head out for the remainder of the night. If Thor was still there by morning, they could visit him.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

When River made it back to her apartment, she allowed herself to feel just how exhausted she felt. Her limbs felt heavier, her eyelids were drooping, and she felt like she couldn't move fast enough to her bedroom.

Not even bothering to take a shower, River peeled off her clothes and shuffled into her pajamas. Pulling her hair into a messy ponytail, River climbed into bed and immediately fell asleep.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

If River were to be completely honest with herself, it felt as if she got no sleep at all. By the time she woke up the next morning, she felt more exhausted than she ever could've imagined. With a sigh, River tried rubbing some of the exhaustion out of her eyes, with little luck.

Getting herself out of bed, River brushed some of the loose hairs out of her face and decided to go get dressed. Taking her time in doing so, by the time River got out, she got her cell phone and decided to check it. She'd silenced it the night before so she would be able to sleep without any problems, and when she checked it, she saw three missed calls from Jane and two text messages from Darcy.

Sighing, River checked for voicemails—which Jane left—and understood after the first one just how badly Jane needed her. Apparently, Darcy found some kind of connection between Thor and the phenomena from the previous night.

Throwing on some tennis shoes and grabbing her keys, River grudgingly left her apartment.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" Jane barked. "This is important!"

Rolling her eyes, River threw Jane a tired frown. "A good night's sleep isn't too much to ask for, is it?" she remarked sarcastically. "You may be in some rush to finish this, but that doesn't mean _we_ have to be."

Jane rolled her eyes. "I know this isn't any fun for you," she exclaimed, "but if we could figure this out, then we could discover something _enormous_! And I think the guy from last night has the answers I'm looking for."

Getting into Jane's van, River sat in the back and crossed her arms over her chest. Jane was right about one thing, she didn't really find much enjoyment in the research but somehow she got herself tangled up in it.

"So I take it we're going to the hospital?" River sighed.

"Yes." The determination in Jane's voice was evident.

"If he's still there," Darcy exclaimed.

"He'll still be there."

Darcy didn't respond, instead she got her taser out and started doing a quick inspection of it.

 _Here goes nothing,_ River thought as Jane started the engine.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone. Sorry for the delay in the chapter, I got sidetracked by responsibilities and life (for a brief moment). Hopefully this chapter was decent enough.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the socks on my feet.**

 **If you've got ideas on anything at all, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	9. Chapter 9

When they made it to the hospital, it was in a bit of a bind. There were security officers checking people coming in, doctors and nurses running around, every room in the hospital was being inspected. Jane, Darcy, Erik, and River did a quick peek into every room they could get into before they landed in a messy room with restraints thrown on the ground.

Jane cursed under her breath before running out of the room with the others close behind.

Climbing back into Jane's van, they all sat for a moment to process what happened.

"I just wanna know how they lose someone that big," River scoffed.

"He couldn't have gone out without a fight," Darcy murmured.

Jane let out an irritated groan. "I just lost my important piece of evidence," she snapped. " _Typical_."

"Well...now what?" Darcy sighed.

"We find him."

River leaned forward a little to get a better view of her friend. "Did you see what he did in there?" she asked. "He's a fighter and I don't know if looking for him is a good idea."

"Our data can't tell us what it was like to be in that event," Jane exclaimed, "and _he_ can. We're gonna find him."

"He could've left town for all we know," River said, leaning back against the wall of the van.

Darcy took out her taser and did another inspection on it while Jane turned her van on. Right as she started to pull out of her parking spot, a loud thud came from the back. Jane immediately stopped, turned her van off, while everyone accompanied her to see what she hit.

It was Thor.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

It took a lot of effort to get Thor back into Jane's van. The drive to her apartment was silent, with Darcy and River watching over Thor's unconscious body anxiously. Erik would throw uncomfortable looks back at Thor, clearly not liking the big man in the van (it was understandable, since Thor could wake up at any given moment and cause some kind of harm). Jane seemed more relaxed than worried.

"So that thing last night was actually a wormhole?" River asked. The voicemail she'd gotten from Jane wasn't very descriptive on the connections that Darcy made—from what River had been told by Jane in the voicemail, Thor knew what happened during the phenomena and would be useful in helping Jane get more information on the occurrence. Darcy tried filling River in to the best of her abilities.

"From the pictures we got last night, I caught a heat signature that looked humanoid in appearance." Darcy looked more serious than River had ever seen her. "I don't think finding Thor there was any accident."

Looking at Thor's form, River felt something stir in her, and she wasn't sure if it was good or bad.

"What should I do if he tries anything?" she blurted, looking at the others.

"Nothing," Jane said almost immediately. "We need him to trust us."

"This guy is pure muscle," River exclaimed, "and I can tell you he'll probably put up one helluva fight once he wakes up. That's _if_ he's not too disoriented."

"You're not setting him on fire, River." Jane's tone sounded similar to a parent scolding a child.

"I never said I would set him on fire. I just want to know what I should do if he gets violent."

"Darcy can tase him again," she sighed, sounding almost irritated and defeated. "We'll use you as a back-up."

 **-0-0-0-0-**

By the time they reached Jane's apartment again, it was past midday and it took even more effort to get Thor _out_ of the van and into Jane's apartment. He was still out cold, something they were happy about, and Jane said he'd be put into her spare bedroom.

"We need him out of those scrubs," Jane said, once Thor's body was on the bed.

"Where're we going to get him clothes so suddenly?" Darcy asked.

"I still have some of my ex's clothes here." Jane looked almost ashamed of herself. "Once he's awake, he can wear those."

"Donald's?" River asked. "I thought you got rid of all that?"

Jane shook her head. "He left some stuff behind and never came back for them." She shrugged. "I was going to throw them out, I guess it's a good thing I didn't."

 **-0-0-0-0-**

They all knew Thor was awake almost immediately. He started shouting out his confusion, not aware of his surroundings. For an instant, River thought that maybe he really got hurt after getting hit a second time, but when he came storming out of Jane's spare bedroom clear-eyed and attentive, River shut the idea down.

Darcy got her taser out and aimed it at Thor when he stormed into the kitchen.

Both of River's hands were engulfed in flames.

"You dare keep me here?" he bellowed, looking at the four of them with wild eyes.

"You need to _calm down_ ," River exclaimed, the flames on her hands intensifying.

Thor's gaze went to her before his eyes flickered to her hands. A hint of something flashed across his face.

"Guys, stop," Jane said. "Look, we're not keeping you hostage or anything. I just need some questions answered."

After a moment, and a little more convincing, Thor visibly relaxed. His blue eyes looked at the four of them closely before he studied his surroundings. There was obvious confusion on his face, but he didn't ask any questions himself.

"Jane's got a change of clothes for you," River explained, keeping her voice firm, letting him know he had no room for arguing. "Go change in the bathroom, OK?"

Looking at her one last time, Thor gave a single, wordless nod.

Once he left, there was a sense of relief that washed over the four of them.

At least he was being cooperative.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter is short and the ending was probably weak, but I hope you guys liked it anyway. Leave a review on what you think.**

 **I own nothing in the MCU. All I own are my characters and the fence in my backyard.**

 **If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots you'd like to see written into the story, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me.**

 **As a heads up, I start college again this Monday, and since I'm going to school and working, I'll have to find a middle-ground between the two. I might not be updating as frequently (I know I don't update a lot for this story, but ya know...). But just let me know what you think of the story so far. This will be the first of probably a series with my OC River.**

 **Question time: for the third Thor movie, from what I understand I may be wrong, it's going to be taking place mostly in space and/or in Asgard. I know Bruce Banner is going to be playing some kind of role in the movie, I don't know what, but that's irrelevant. Anyway, if the movie's mostly somewhere in space (or somewhere in Asgard), how should I incorporate River into that? The only way Thor is able to travel between all these different worlds is with that space bridge, and River doesn't have access to that. Does that make sense?**

 **If you've got ideas on how that could go down, leave a review.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	10. Chapter 10

While Thor was changing, River was pacing, her arms folded across her chest. Jane looked anxious, but not in the sense that Thor could be dangerous. Erik and Darcy seemed to understand there was something not right about him.

"OK, if we can just calm down, maybe it'll ease the situation." Jane tried keeping her tone hopeful, but the looks she received from the others made her expression dim a little. "This is important to me! Why can't you guys just support me on this?"

"We are, Jane," River hissed. "We've been _very_ supportive. But this guy is probably _dangerous_."

"Not _probably_ ," Erik said, keeping his tone low. "He _is_. One wrong move—one wrong word—and he could attack us."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Jane let out a sigh, but there was still a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

 **-0-0-0-0-**

It seemed like Thor was taking his sweet time getting ready. When he finally _did_ come out—shirtless at that—it caught everyone by surprise. Erik looked unimpressed with the fact that Thor was shamelessly flaunting himself in front of them. Jane, Darcy, and River, on the other hand, found themselves distracted by Thor. Even though River found him to be threatening, she had to admit he looked good.

"Ya know, for a crazy homeless person, he's pretty cut," Darcy whispered to River, before adding, loud enough for Thor to hear, "Sorry I tased you."

Pausing for a moment, Thor looked at River and the others carefully before he started studying the shirt in his hands.

"Uh...those were the only clothes I had that would fit you," Jane stammered.

"They will suffice," Thor exclaimed, before he started walking around the room, throwing on the shirt. "This mortal form has grown weak. I need sustenance."

"Manners go a long way, ya know," River said, crossing her arms over her chest. Thor threw a look her way. "Just to make things clear."

"I've got some Pop Tarts stashed here somewhere," Darcy suggested, sounding almost _eager_ to have her suggestion heard.

Jane put a hand on River's shoulder, silencing her from saying anything else. "I'm sure Isabela's will do for now," she suggested. "But we still have those questions, remember?" A look swept across Thor's face before he nodded. "Good, so let's go."

 **-0-0-0-0-**

The drive to Isabela's was quiet. Thor sat in the back with River and Darcy, with Jane driving and Erik in shotgun. River made sure to keep an eye on Thor, to make sure he didn't do anything. Darcy had her taser just in case, but she wasn't really as intent on using it as she had been. That little stunt Thor had pulled earlier—walking out shirtless—had left Darcy ogling over him. Even though River knew Thor was attractive, the one thing she didn't like about him—the one of _many_ , she'd figured out—was that he was not only aware of how people (especially women) saw him, but he basked in the positive attention it got him. He was _hopelessly_ arrogant.

"You find something displeasing in me," Thor said, looking at River with a hint of a smirk on his face.

"I could name a few." River arched a brow at him. "Some guy goes and falls out of the sky? Fine, whatever. The guy's terribly arrogant and maybe dangerous? That's where it crosses the line."

"Arrogant?" A flash of something went through Thor's eyes.

"I've met plenty of guys with an attitude like yours." River crossed her arms over her chest. "They flaunt their looks for the attention, they treat others like shit to boost themselves—sound pretty arrogant to me."

"You did hit me with this contraption more than once," he countered.

"That's _enough_ ," Erik exclaimed. "Let's try and get along until this is over, OK?"

"We're here," Jane said. Pulling the van into a vacant parking spot, Jane turned the van off and everyone piled out. "I've got enough money for all of us to have breakfast."

Before anyone else had a chance to respond, Thor made his way to the diner. A bubble of slight irritation formed around the four as they hurriedly followed after him. Luckily, they managed to catch up to Thor before he made some kind of fool of himself in front of everyone in the diner.

After they sat down, a waitress handed them their menus. "Can I get you guys anything to drink?" she asked. Occasionally—and this was noticed by everyone at the table—the waitress' eyes would flicker to Thor for a moment before going to the other occupants.

"Black coffee, please," River said.

Jane and Darcy ordered some coffee with sugar or milk added.

Erik ordered some tea.

Thor, deciding he wanted to know what _coffee_ was, ordered the same kind of drink as River—straight up black coffee.

After the waitress left, Thor picked up the menu and observed it closely. His eyes flickered up, noticing Erik, River, Jane, and Darcy looking at him.

"How're you _still_ hungry?" Darcy exclaimed.

"This form is weaker than what I am accustomed to." Thor's tone held a bit of arrogance to it, mingling with a hint of annoyance. "But I will get back what belongs to me soon enough."

River gave a slight snort.

Thor didn't respond, which didn't bother River in the slightest. It didn't really matter to _her_ just how confident Thor was, none of what he was saying made sense.

 _Maybe he did get hit a little too hard,_ she thought. River's eyes flickered to Jane for a moment, who was focusing intently on the man in front of her. She felt her irritation grow a little more. Whether Thor's odd behavior had to do with him getting hit twice by Jane's van or not, there was something about him that River didn't like. Or...maybe there was something about him she found intimidating. She couldn't quite put her finger on it yet, but she knew that, in a sense, she found him to be dangerous until proven otherwise.

Which meant that, until Jane got the information she needed, River would be on constant alert.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know** **—it took a while for me to post this chapter and there was a repeat of the previous chapter in this one's place. I don't need a reminder. I would've finished this chapter sooner, but I got sidetracked by responsibilities. But don't worry, I'll try and have future updates finished a lot sooner than this one! So until then, leave reviews on what you think. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? If you've got questions, leave a review or PM me.**

 **Do I own anything in the MCU? No. No I don't.**

 **If you've got questions, review or PM me. If you've got ideas for anything—from OCs to subplots to how River should interact with Thor and the other characters (at least in a more detailed sense)** **—leave a review or PM me. Other than that, constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **Stay safe, make good choices! This year's been a whirlwind of crazy.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N):**

 **Hey, guys! I know it's been a while since I've updated for this story, but I feel like I should let you guys know something important. Despite not having updated this story in probably close to a year by now, I thought it'd be important to tell you guys that I am putting this story on a hiatus. Originally, I thought I was doing a decent enough job with the way NEW DIVIDE was progressing, but I don't think I was as devoted to it as I thought. This story could obviously undergo some improvement, but I feel like I should just find whatever was lacking in this story before I decide to go further with it.**

 **I'm completely open to whatever suggestions or ideas you guys have to make this story better! If you guys ever read my story CAN'T HOLD US, I use the ideas and suggestions from the reviewers there to improve the story. Maybe that's why it's at the number of chapters it is. I don't know, I think I lost track of where I was going with this part.**

 **Anywho, that's all I've got. I'm on hiatus. For this particular story.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and please be respectful to each other.**

 **Many blessings,**

 **Indigo Callahan**


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